Way of Life’s July Newsletter

Way of Life starts July off with a Bang* celebrating beach parties and back yard barbecues, lot’s of fun in the sun! Make sure to stay well hydrated and protect your skin with a clean high quality sun screen, of which Way of Life features a great selection reef safe sun screens.

Way of Life offers some Bang Up good deals this month with line drives from Borlind at 15% off, Enzymedica at 20% off also Country Life and New Chapter at 25% off. Way of Life wishes you and yours a safe, festive Fourth of July Holiday!

Being Proactive to Avoid Sunburn

by Dr Bernie Valero ND

Summer has arrived, and the sun is high in the sky! With the days being longer, hopefully that means more time enjoying being outside for you and your loved ones. Remember though, it is important to cover up the skin from getting over exposed to the sun. And, I’ll also discuss some other ways we can reduce the damaging effects of the sun.

Some people do have a higher tolerance than others for solar radiation and heat. No matter what, though, there will always be a point where anyone’s body is overwhelmed with the exposure to the sun. That is when it is important to wear clothing to cover up the sun-exposed areas, or use sunscreens. Any amount of redness, blistering or swelling is a sign of too much sun exposure, and that a person is far beyond their safe limit of exposure.

A short amount of sunlight should not cause severe damage to the skin cells. It is better to be gentle with your body, and cover the skin when you have had enough light, and never let your skin get to the point of being red. Wear light clothing or natural sunscreen products you can find at the Way of Life.

Evidence shows that increased sun exposure raises the risk of skin cancers, and that 40% of all types of cancers are of the skin. Long-duration sun exposure (UVA, UVB radiation) is also notorious for causing the skin to age, and show wrinkles more quickly. So, how do we reduce the risk of photo-aging and skin cancer? I will be sharing alternatives to the common sunscreens, as well as things you can do daily to improve the health of your skin.

The sunscreen market is constantly growing, although there is lack of evidence to support that most of the sunscreens actually prevent skin cancer. According to the Environmental Working Group, Oxybenzone, an ingedient found in 2/3 of the sunscreens consumers are buying, has possible reproductive dangers, and is also a known carcinogen. Other harmful or toxic ingredients in sunscreens:

Retinal palmitate: has shown to increase the risk of skin damage from the UV radiation, and increases the risks of skin cancer.

PABA: has shown to damage melanocytes, the pigment producing cells in the skin

Avobenzone: causes allergic reactions, and could be a cause of hormone disruption.

Despite their insufficiency, these sunscreen ingredients are quite common. They penetrate into the body, through the skin, causing unwanted side effects. A clear indication of this is the rise in rates of Melanoma, which has shown an increase in incidence since sunscreens have become popular several decades ago (Garland).

Be careful with the high SPF, as those are usually providing higher amounts of these unwanted chemicals (Environmental Working Group).The act of applying sunscreen also gives people a false sense of security. It is shown that people spend more time outdoors, exposing their skin to the sun, when they are wearing sunscreen. Not applying the right sunscreen effectively enough, or often enough, can possibly be a reason for why skin cancer rates are still not dropping. Even with sunscreen, people are over exposing themselves to high amounts of UVA/UVB, and to high heat (drying the skin severely damages the cells too).

Luckily there are alternatives to the common ingredients we see in most sunscreens. Look for sunscreen products that use mineral-based active ingredients. Zinc oxide and titanium oxide act as a physical barrier for protecting the skin from radiation exposure, and are non-toxic to the body. At Way of Life, you will find products that contain these ingredients, as well as added antioxidants for improved immune function and circulation in the skin.

• Note, that it is important to apply the mineral-based sunscreens as a thick coat, instead of a thin spread, and to reapply throughout the day, because some products can wash off easily.

Immune modulation is an important aspect when it comes to controlling an efficient inflammatory response and to controlling chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation in any area of the body greatly increases risk of developing cancer. This is why skin cancers happen on areas of the body that are repeatedly exposed to the sun. You can consider an area of repeated burns on the skin like a chronic inflammatory state. So, in other words, the sun isn’t to blame for causing cancer, but it is the chronic inflammation in areas of the skin that leads to increased chances of developing a local cancer (Ruocco).

Exercise and a healthy diet are very important for keeping the skin healthy. There is so much everyone can do daily to reduce the risks of from the sun damage to the skin. A diet rich in antioxidants, lots of water, an anti-inflammatory diet, herbs, and a regular detox plan are major factors to preventing sunburns.

Dr. Bernardo J Valero is a licensed naturopathic doctor, practicing family medicine in Soquel, California. Dr. Bernie is dedicated to helping his patients regain vitality, and helping them understand and overcome their main health concerns. Practicing naturopathic medicine means that Dr. Valero treats each person as a human being first. As a specialist in treatment of pain disorder, Dr. Bernie provides the naturopathic perspective to helping patients with pain of all types. Combining strategic and effective therapies, Dr. Bernie creates a dynamic and holistic plan for patients of all ages.